Different Sides Of The Track
by Bloody Sunset
Summary: Buffy Summers has devoted her life to helping the Slaves of the south escape to British Canada, via the Underground Railroad. William Scott is the son of a wealthy plantation owner, who has recently been sent to find a runaway slave. Spuffy. Please R
1. The Runaway

A/N A new story by me! Yeah, thats right, Im starting a new story, one I hope to be fairly long, and maybe even historically accurate, fun. Anyway, my other Story, **But It Feels So Right** is being worked on too, and I might even have a chapter of **Parent Problems** up soon, like next week. Ok, thats not soon, get over it.  
  
Note: this story is a **_Spuffy_** story, for all those people out there who know me as a B/A writer, um.... I'm writing a Spuffy story, get over it.   
  
Disclaimer: I do no own Buffy, Spike or any other characters of the Buffy- verse, even though I would like to like every other Buffy fan out there.  
  
**Different Sides Of The Track**  
  
The moon was high, and few clouds hung in the August sky that night. It was warm, and the peepers were chirping merrily at the last hours of dusk. It would be pitch black soon, and there weren't many people who would be out this time of night, in fear of the wild animals that inhabited a swamp near by.  
  
Coyotes and other wild dogs were recognized with this area, along with a rather large wild cat that roamed this area. Other than avoiding the animals, all you had to do was avoid crossing paths with a highwayman and you were set to go for the night.  
  
This was one of the back roads in Virginia, not very often traveled. A good place that was used to sneak stolen, and even runaway property to the North. This was one of the many routes recognized by the Underground Railroad as a transport to another one of their safe houses in Virginia. Across the state there were only about twenty in all, and that was barely enough to stretch across the whole state, and sometimes the runaways would have to stay outside, instead of with the families that were involved with the U.R.  
  
There had been more houses that helped with the U.R. but many had been found out about a week back when a really rush of runaways had tried to come up all at the same time. Countless families were fined for allowing the slaves to stay at their houses, and many were jailed. But still there were people who needed to do what was right, and kept this organization going, in spite of the fact that they might be endangering themselves to help these runaway slaves.  
  
(-{-:-}-)  
  
Carriage wheels creaked as they rolled over the dirt rode, traveling at a steady pace northward. One person sat up front, holding the reins of a horse in his hands, and keeping a close watch on the road in front of him. But he wasn't the only one in the small wagon, in the back; a young black man lay hidden among the clutter and hay, hiding from anyone who might be passing by that night.  
  
He was a runaway, and the man in front was his escort to the next house inline with the U.R. It was sometimes important that the slaves had escorts, especially on nights like tonight, where walking was a death wish. There had been far to many wild dog sightings lately and it wasn't safe for any man to be walking alone without a weapon.  
  
A small house came into view, and the driver of the carriage smiled, they were there. He figured he would spend the night, and then return home, leaving the runaway at this house. Then in a couple of days he would return, with another one, and the cycle would continue. It was all planned, but sometimes, the planning didn't go well, and the houses ended up with a half a dozen runaways, in a house that could only support four people.  
  
He shook of his thoughts as he entered the yard of the house. The clink clopping of the horse's hooves on the coble stones alerted someone inside, and the front door was opened, candlelight flowing out into the night.  
  
The silhouette of a woman dimly shown in the doorway, her white clothing and light skin reflecting off of the light from the candle she held in her hand. She stared at the carriage, with her emerald eyes, as it came to a stop, and the driver jumped from his post.  
  
She rushed across the front lawn to meet him as he grabbed hold of the horse's reins, and they both walked towards the barn in silence, each only nodding at each other in greeting.  
  
After the horse was unhitched, and the wagon tucked away in the corner of the small barn did the woman speak up.  
  
"I was afraid you weren't coming." She said, placing the candle down on a small table used by the blacksmith when he came to put new shoes on the horses each month, and looked up at the man.  
  
"I was afraid I wasn't going to make it, kept thinking those damned wild dogs were following me. Come to think of it, it's best that we get inside; there were probably a couple following me." He said, and moved towards the wagon.  
  
He banged on it twice, and the head of another man popped up. He looked around, trying to become aware of his new surroundings, then he hopped out of the wagon. The woman grabbed her candle and blew it out, then led both of them out of the barn, and after tightly closing the doors, into the house.  
  
All three sat down at the table, and the black man looked at the wagon driver, gratitude in his gaze.  
  
"Thank you." He said, his voice unsure, because he barely knew the language.  
  
The other man nodded, then turned to the woman. "I was hoping that I would be able to stay the night, seeing as the dogs were following me. That is, if it's ok with you, Ms. Summers." He said, and she nodded.  
  
"Stay here as long as you like, you know you're always welcome here Xander, but I must insist that you call me Buffy, we've known each other long enough so that we don't need such formalities." she responded, yawning, and receiving a grin from Xander. "And I think it would be best if we all get some rest now."  
  
He nodded, motioned to the black man, "His names, Charles Gunn, as appointed by his last master, I'm not sure if it's his real name, but he responds to it."  
  
Buffy nodded, "Alright then, Charles, you come with me, Xander, I do believe you know where you are expected to sleep?"  
  
"I do, G'night, Buffy."  
  
"Good night Xander." She said, then, leading Gunn up the stairs, she showed him into a room.  
  
It was small, but it had a bed, and a water basin, that was filled up pretty much to the top with fresh water. The bed had blankets on it, despite the rather warm summer weather, and the wooden floor was partially covered with a small rug.  
  
Buffy looked at Gunn, "I know it's not much, but it's all I have ready now." She said, as if amending for a childish crime.  
  
Gunn looked at her, "Thank you." He said again, and Buffy wondered if that was all he could say, but she didn't ask, not wanting to be rude.  
  
She smiled at him, and left him to the room, retiring down the hall to her own room, which was pretty much the same, except it was a big larger, and there was a small cradle on the left side of the bed.  
  
Buffy made her way over to the cradle, and looked at the sleeping child inside. She had the darkest brown hair Buffy had ever seen, and chocolate eyes. Her nose was cute, and she had some freckles even though she was young ad barely went outside in the sun. She looked like the perfect combination of her parents, Buffy's cousin Faith, and her boyfriend, Angel. They were yet to marry, and Buffy doubted they ever would, Faith wasn't the kind of girl who committed like that, and Angel, well, he really just went along with what Faith wanted most of the time.  
  
She sighed, and sat down on her bed, taking her shoes off before lying down. She didn't bother pulling the blankets over herself; it was far too hot to even think of doing that, and very uncomfortable to sleep like that in the summer time. Her eyes closed, but she didn't fall asleep just yet, thinking about what this new runaway was going to bring.  
  
His master would defiantly be looking for him, and just might find her house if they knew about the railroad at all, and there was no where to hide Gunn if whoever thought they owned him were to show up the next day. Buffy sighed again, and let herself fall unconscious, trying not to think of what tomorrow might bring.  
  
That Same Night: Monroe, Georgia  
  
The small town of Monroe Georgia lay just east of the state's capital, Atlanta. It was a quiet town that not many people came to, or left for that matter. Families grew up here, and passed down their homes and plantations through the generations, to make sure they stayed in the family.  
  
There weren't many poor people in this town, for the people who lived there lives pretty good life overseeing the work of their slaves, and exporting the cotton grown on their property. There was nothing to worry about in this town, except for the constant threat of slaves running away.  
  
Many did so during the clear nights in the middle of the summer. Much like the current night, where the warm air caressed the skin, and stars led their way to the North, where they would be free, less somebody caught them.  
  
And the silence of this summer evening, only one close by could hear the argument going on the Scott's house. The raised voices were a sign that the youngest son in the household had disappointed his father once more. On the weekend he had been left in charge of the plantation, when his father, and older brother Liam had gone to Texas, seeking out new land, the head slave of the household had run off, and now the poor young southerner was getting all the blame.  
  
William Scott paced the floor, his father before him, cursing aloud. How could he have been so stupid, as to let the head slave escape? To cause his father so much back work because his son couldn't watch over the cotton plantation for two days without screwing something up.  
  
"William! How did this happen? Why weren't you paying attention?" Mr. Scott yelled at his son, his face red and angry.  
  
"I didn't bloody well mean for it to happen!" William snapped back, stopping in front of his father.  
  
Mr. Scott sighed in anger, and ran a hand through his hair frustrated. He took a deep breath, and then looked at his son again, "You will go after him."  
  
It wasn't a question.  
  
"What?" William asked incredulously.  
  
"You will go after him tonight, and find him before I lose my temper will you again."  
  
His teeth gritted in anger, William turned from his father, muttering a "fine" to him, and opened the front door. He stomped outside, and slammed the door after him, cursing again.  
  
"How could I have let it happen? How could he have left me to watch the plantation is more like it? Why didn't he get his precious Liam to do it for him? Then maybe none of this would have happened." William said to no one in particular.  
  
The sun was beginning to set, and the night bugs were coming out. Biting flies, and moths, lots of them too. They seemed to be everywhere tonight, flying in and around William's clothes, biting him.  
  
He swatted at them as he entered the barn, and made his way first to a tack room, then down to the far left corner. In a lone stall, surrounded by a tack room on one side, and an empty stall in the front, was a tall, bay stallion.  
  
He stood tall, barely noting that William had approached the stall until the latch clicked open. Dark eyes fell upon the young man, and the horse approached him, cocking his head to the side. William held out an apple in one hand, hiding the bridle behind his back with the other. The stallion cautiously put his head down to take the apple from him hand.  
  
William took the bridle he had grabbed before, and quickly slid the reins over the bay's head, taking advantage of the horse's hunger, and cautious nature. The stallion threw his head back, aware that he had been tricked, and took a few defiant steps backwards.  
  
Sighing, William once again held the apple up to the horse, this time allowing it to be snatched from his hand. When the horse finished chewing, William enticed him into taking the bit, and finished putting on the bridle, checking to make sure that none of the parts were to tight, or to loose.  
  
Satisfied that he had done well, he took the reins in his hands, and opening the stall door completely, led the horse out into the isle way.  
  
"There you go Pen. It's not that bad, now is it?" he said, looping the reins around a post.  
  
He quickly went into the tack room, and grabbed his saddle, knowing it was foolish to leave that horse tied loosely on a post. PenDragon was the kind of horse that could escape from anything if he got the chance, but he was also William's favorite horse. He had had his since he was just a foal, and grown up riding him.  
  
William snapped out of his flash back when he heard hooves on the cement floor of the barn. He cursed his idleness, and ran out of the tack room, carrying the saddle to see PenDragon trying to stick his head through the bars of another horses stall.  
  
At first William thought the stallion was looking for food, then he saw what stall he was looking in.  
  
Immediately grabbing the reins the best he could with out putting the saddle down, William led PenDragon away from the stall.  
  
"Now Pen, you know it's best that you stay away from the mares, it's not breeding season yet, and you're not old enough to be a father." He said, tying him up again.  
  
He then gently set the saddle on the horses back, and pulled it up, just over the withers. He attached the girth, and tightened it, checking to make sure it wasn't to tight, and then led PenDragon out of the Barn.  
  
He made sure to close the doors tightly so none of the wild dogs would get in, and mounted up quickly. William took one quick look around, and then gave PenDragon a swift kick in the side.  
  
"C'mon Pen," He said as the stallion took off in a fast trot, "That nigger could be anywhere by now. For all we know, he could have gotten all the way to Boston."  
  
A/N How's that for a first chapter? Huh, Is it any good, or do you guys hate it? Yeah, I know, all of the people who read my B/A stories probably aren't going to read this one, but hey, maybe I'll get some new readers! That would be cool! Oh, and this is really like a practice chapter, like I have with all my stories to see if people will like it, so you have to review, and tell me if you like it, otherwise I wont see it fit to write another chapter.  
  
Bloody SunSet 


	2. Early Mornings

A/N Mariana, Bitemee, spufette, and msberry, I must thank you for reading my story, and being nice enough to say it was good, and well, wasn't bad.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, but it's my plot, so I feel special.  
  
**Different Sides Of The Track**  
  
The sun shown through the bedroom window caressing the room with a soft, warm golden light. It washed over Buffy's face, and she turned over, not wanting to believe it was morning already, or to move from her bed.  
  
She sighed and opened her eyes, allowing them to adjust to the bright light pouring in through the window. Then, sitting up in her bed, she heard soft gurgling noises coming from the crib beside her. She smiled to herself, and moved to stand up, needing to tend to the baby.  
  
"Good Morning sweet Dawn, did your dreams treat you well?" she asked, the little girl just smiled at her, and giggled. "I take it they did."  
  
Buffy bent over and picked Dawn up out of the crib, carrying her out of the room, and down the hall with her. Not wanting to be rude, Buffy taps on the wooden doorframe of the guest room; not looking passed the open door.  
  
"Charles?" she asked, then waited for a response from the man.  
  
"Yes m'am?" she heard his answer and smiled at how polite he was.  
  
"May I come in?"  
  
"'Course ya can." Charles responded, and Buffy entered the room.  
  
She smiled warmly at him, "Breakfast will be in a little while, that is, if I ever get around to cooking it. So if you want to come down, we'll wait for you."  
  
He looked at her with gratitude, and nodded, "Thank you."  
  
"Your very welcome Charles. I'll see you later." She said, excusing herself from the room.  
  
She walked down the hall, then down stairs to another guest room. Again she knocked on the doorframe, not wanting to intrude on the man inside.  
  
"Xander, you awake?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah. Come on in, I got something to tell you." He said seriously.  
  
Buffy moved into the room, and looked at him concerned by his tone, "What is it."  
  
"That black man I brought you. He might be highly wanted by his owners, there might be some people out looking for him, even though I haven't come across any yet." He said, "I saw some banners, and some posts offering a hefty reward for him, so be careful."  
  
"I always am." She replied.  
  
"I know you are Ms. Summers, but don't go allowing him to answer the door, or greet people in any way. If anyone recognizes him, you'll be in some trouble."  
  
She nodded at him, "I'll do that. Thank you. And, for the last time, you can call me Buffy, no need to be calling me Ms. Summers all the time, not unless you want to go by Mr. Harris." She said, jokingly.  
  
"Alright Buffy." He smiled at her, "I guess I'll be off, be seeing you in a couple of weeks if we get another one."  
  
"Xander, you know I can't let you leave on an empty stomach, stay for breakfast, then you can be on your way." She told him.  
  
"I was hoping you'd say that." He smirked at her, and she rolled her eyes.  
  
"Do you ever think about anything but food?" she asked, turning from him to go into the kitchen.  
  
"Not very often." He joked, following her.  
  
She sighed and turned back to him, "Could you hold Dawn for me?"  
  
"Sure." He took the little girl from Buffy's arms, and sat down at the table, bouncing her on his knee.  
  
Buffy smiled, and watched as Dawn giggled, and smiled, she couldn't help but think that Xander was going to be a great father someday. He was so good to Dawn when he came over, whether it was on business, or just to say "Hello" on a trip up to Boston, he was always the cheerful jokester Buffy had grown to love like a brother.  
  
Her thoughts were interrupted by footsteps on the stairs, both She and Xander looked to the staircase to see Charles enter the room.  
  
"G'morning Gunn." Xander said, nodding at him.  
  
Charles nodded back, "Morning Mr. Harris." He said, the uncertainty Buffy had heard in his voice the night before was gone, and he spoke to Xander like they had known each other their entire lives.  
  
Buffy turned her attention back to making breakfast for everyone, wondering what she was going to make. She hadn't gone out to do the chores yet, so there were no eggs, and no milk. But there were berries, and some bread, it would do for this morning, and she hoped no one as expecting a huge buffet.  
  
Gathering up the strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries, she puts them in a large basket, and rinses them in a pale of water. Shaking off most of the water, she dumps them into a bowl, and grabs a loaf of bread from oven. It was a day old, but wasn't stale, and she figured it would be ok.  
  
"Hey sorry about this, but I wasn't expecting a crowd this morning." She said, placing the bowl of fruit, and the bread on the table. "I know, not the greatest, but it's all I got right now."  
  
"S'alright Buff, this is better than what I had for dinner last night." Xander said, smiling at her.  
  
"I'm glad you're happy Xander." She said, "Well, you guys eat, and Xander?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Watch Dawn for a second. I have some things to do before I can eat." She told him, opening the back door, and heading for the small barn out back.  
  
Buffy Summers didn't have much considering what her neighbors had, but she never complained about it. One cow, a half dozen chickens, and hyper Border Terrier was plenty for her to handle, especially when her cousin was away, and she had to do all the work alone.  
  
Walking into the barn she grabbed a pale, and made her way over to one of the four stalls in the barn, first checking on Xander's horse for him, making sure he had food and water before checking up on her cow.  
  
It was a new addition to the small farm, and Faith had had the idea to let Dawn name the cow when she was old enough to talk. Figured since Dawn got a kick out of seeing the animal and the fact that when she was older she'd have to help care for her, she should get to make it hers with a name.  
  
Buffy opened the stall down, and using a horse halter, and lead rope, tied up the sow so she could be milked. Pulling up a stool for her to sit on, Buffy placed the pale under the utter, and began to fill up the bucket with the warm white liquid.  
  
When she was done, the cow defiantly seemed relieved. Buffy patted her on the nose, and placed the bucket of milk in the isle way. She had made the mistake of leaving the bucket in there once before while she untied the cow, and she had ended up with no milk that day.  
  
She pulled the halter off on the cows face, and closed the stall door behind her as she left, carrying the milk pale, filled with milk, back into the house with her.  
  
Deciding to make one more stop on her way to the house, Buffy stopped at the chicken shed, and grabbed the two or three eggs that were in the roosts. She pocketed them, and went back inside the house, only to find most of the fruit and bread gone, and Xander making funny faces at Dawn, and Gunn watching the two of them with an amused smirk on his face.  
  


(-{-:-}-)

  
  
The sun had risen hours ago, and William had only stopped to rest but once on his journey northward. He had stopped at various houses along the way, and put up the sketches he had made of the runaway in the towns he hadn't already put them up in two days before.  
  
There was a reward offer for the man, which William was going to have to pay himself, because he knew his father would never give anyone anything for helping him out. Personally William didn't understand his father, or his older brother. All they talked about was how they were going to buy slaves, sell slaves, or make more money. They never paid attention to his mother, or his baby sister, and William acted more like the man of the house every time his father went away, used to being left with nothing but what he could do himself.  
  
As he walked through the town he wondered how his mother and sister were faring at home. He figured the same as when he was home, doing all the chores women were expected to do, and William was forced to do.  
  
He shook his head to clear it of any thoughts but finding his father's prized runaway, not wanting to think of the things he should be doing at home. Instead, he focused on what he knew already, and what the people he had talked to had said.  
  
Most people he talked to said they had heard about this runaway, either from his flyers or from others Will had already talked to, or said they knew nothing about it. He had run into a couple of people who had sent him on a wild goose chase to a farm way off course, to look at slaves that were at the plantation they belonged at. Some people completely ignored him, and by this time, Will was extremely frustrated.  
  
He had no idea where he was, except that he had crossed into South Carolina just before sunrise. And he really didn't care, to tell the truth, he was taking his time in finding his fathers slave, not wanting to return home, with or without the black man.  
  
The small town he was in now seemed to be deserted except for a few young men standing outside of a general store, waiting for it to open. William sighed in boredom and annoyance and patted PenDragon on the muzzle.  
  
"Looks like you and me get to take a break for now, Pen." He said, grabbing the reins and leading him to a place where he could tie him up for a while.  
  
Making sure the reins looped tightly on the tie post, William patted PenDragon one more time before joining the group of boys at the front on the store.  
  
"What's going on here?" he asked, curious at why these boys had nothing better to do than wait out in front of this shop.  
  
"Mr. Carry hasn't opened his shop yet," One kid said.  
  
"Yeah, and we're thinkin' it's 'cause the sheriff caught him illegally smugglin' slaves to the North." Another added.  
  
"Really?" William asked, "What's the punishment in your area for that?"  
  
"Well," one of the boys spoke up, "They used to just fine them, and send them on their way, but now they fine and jail them, because they keep doin' it as long as they can afford to pay the fine. It's really stupid actually, damn Nigger lovers should just turn in those good for nothin' spades, and collect the rewards."  
  
"Yeah, 'stead of helpin' them, that'd way they'd be makin' more money, instead of losin' it." A fourth boy joined in.  
  
William thought about this for a second, slightly offended by how the children were talking about blacks. He had grown up side by side with blacks, and it turned out most of them were more descent than some of the white men her had met. Another part of him believe it to be right, that blacks were under him in society, and it was that part that always kept him from speaking good about blacks.  
  
"That would make sense, now wouldn't it," William said, "Hey, anyone know where I could find your Mr. Carry? I'm missing a nigger of my own, maybe he knows were he's at."  
  
"Well, seein' as he ain't here, he's probly down at the sheriff's."  
  
"And where would that be?" he asked.  
  
"Down the street, there's a big sign that says 'Sheriff' on it, pretty sure you can't miss it."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
William returned to his horse, and untied him, not feeling very inclined to leave PenDragon anywhere near these kids, unsure of how good this towns ethnics were, he didn't want to take a chance in losing his stallion.  
  
Pulling on the reins, William led PenDragon down the street, finding it just as easy as the boy had said to find the sheriff's building. It looked a little old; maybe this town lacked federal funding or something.  
  
He tied up PenDragon again, and walked inside the building, looking around for the sheriff, and much to his luck, the sheriff was sitting in his chair behind a desk, working on some things.  
  
"Excuse me?" William had always been one to use manners around those he wasn't acquainted with.  
  
"Yes Sir?" the sheriff said, looking up at him.  
  
"I was just wondering, would you happen to be holding a Mr. Carry in here?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah, I am."  
  
"Could I speak with him?"  
  
The sheriff eyed William warily, "Why would you need to se him?"  
  
"I believe he may be able to help me find a slave of mine, seeing as he was arrested for the illegal holding of them, he could have some information for me." William explained.  
  
"What's your name boy?" the sheriff asked, still eying him.  
  
"William Scott, sir."  
  
"Alright, I see no harm in you talking to him, C'mon with me." He stood up, and opened a door, leading into a back room. William followed him, hoping this jailed man could be on some help to him.  
  
"Here you are." He said, "Now don't be to long."  
  
"Yes Sir."  
  
William looked into the cell where an elderly man was in, sitting in the corner, looking like he wanted to hit someone.  
  
"Excuse me?" William asked, trying to sound like a gentleman, still not sure about how much he liked this town.  
  
The man grumbled at him, "What do you want?"  
  
"I heard you dealt with runaway slaves?"  
  
"I find them, I turn them in." he said, glancing at the sheriff.  
  
"Oh, well maybe one slipped from your grasp then." William asked, "About this high, goes by the name of Charles Gunn."  
  
"Never heard of him, now leave me alone."  
  
William sighed, that had been very unsuccessful, and if he kept making stops like this, it was going to cost him too much time. His father probably expected him home in a week or two, and at this rate, going on what he knew; it was going to take a month to track that nigger down.  
  
"I guess I'm done here sheriff." William said, walking out of the back room, "Thanks for that."  
  
"Sure son, anytime" the sheriff said, "Just be sure to turn in any niggers you see. There are quite a few besides yours missing nowadays."  
  
Will nodded, and left, untying and mounting PenDragon as quickly as he could.  
  
"C'mon Pen, looks like were not going to get any help here. Lets just hope that I do find him. My dad will kill me if I don't."  
  
He tapped his heals at the horses side, and PenDragon began to walk. Will didn't want to rush his horse today, not after all the running they had done last night, and plus, Will, himself, was tired as well, and not looking forward to riding hard that day. 


	3. Rules Of The House

A/N BunnyKat: Angel and Faith are Dawns parents, and you did miss it in the reading, that's ok though.  
  
Anon: Sh! You're giving away my plot.  
  
And James Lee: You reviewed right when I finished this chapter.   
  
Anyway, thank you for reviewing, and welcome to chapter three.  
  
Disclaimer: Is back in the first two chapters.... I'm not going to put it in anymore....  
  
**Different Sides Of The Track**  
  
Buffy stood in the doorway for a couple of minutes admiring Xander's ability to handle children, smiling, and still thinking about how he was going to be one hell of a great father.  
  
She looked at Gunn and felt that he would be one of the people she was going to enjoy helping. He already seemed to be at come, and was very polite to her, and Xander, maybe he could help her watch Dawn while he was staying here.  
  
The idea of him staying brought up other questions in her mind. How long had he been out, and with the Underground Railroad? It had to have been a couple of days if Xander had brought him here already, maybe even weeks, considering sometimes the runaways stayed for a while and did all they could to help the people that were helping them escape.  
  
She stepped into the kitchen, and let the door close behind her, setting the milk pale on the floor, and taking the eggs out from her pocket. She placed them in another small basket on the table, and sat down.  
  
Xander looked up at her, "Well Buffy." He said standing, and handing Dawn to her; "I guess I'll see you in a couple of weeks then?"  
  
"I guess so," She said, "Would you like help hitching your horse up? I could help it you wanted."  
  
"That's alright, I'm sure I can handle doing it on my own today, you've got other things to tend to." He said, and she knew he meant Dawn.  
  
"If you're sure, I could put Dawn in her crib upstairs."  
  
"It's fine Buffy, I can do it." He said, turning from her, and opening the door, "I'll be seeing you."  
  
"Right, goodbye Xander." She said as the door closed behind the man.  
  
She sighed, and looked down at Dawn, "What am I going to do with you?" she asked the child, "Oh, never mind, I have work to do, c'mon."  
  
Buffy then realized she had forgotten Gunn, she looked up to see him still leaning up against the wall, smiling.  
  
"Charles, please, make yourself at home, I have some work to do, and please, don't hesitate to ask me if you need anything." She told him standing up.  
  
"Is there anything I could do to help?" he asked.  
  
Buffy blinked, "No Charles, you're my guest, you don't have to do anything, just relax."  
  
He nodded, but Buffy thought she saw it as rather reluctant, maybe he wanted to help. Oh, but she couldn't make him work, he had been working his entire life for nothing in return, and now that he escaped that, she didn't want him to be forced to do any kind of work for her, especially because she couldn't afford to pay him.  
  
She smiled at him, and then moved to go upstairs, carrying Dawn with her. Though she had just awoken a little bit earlier, Dawn looked like she was ready to go down for a nap. It was probably because Xander had fed her a lot. Dawn was like that, a fully stomach and she's out like a light.  
  
Buffy yawned, she was feeling a bit tired to, but that as only because she had kept herself awake all last night, waiting for Xander to arrive with Gunn. She shook her head, and entered her bedroom, lying Dawn down in the crib.  
  
"Ok, now all you have to do is cry when you wake up, and I'll come back up stairs, alright?" she said to the child, and Dawn, obviously not understanding, giggled and yawned. "Sleep tight."  
  
Buffy turned from the crib, and went back down the stairs, only to find that Gunn was still in the same position, leaning up against the wall, only now he was looking bored, instead of smiling. She sighed, and walked over to him.  
  
"Charles, please, do something, anything you would like to, just don't stand there looking like you're going to fall asleep from boredom." She said, sounding a little like she was pleading with him.  
  
"I'm sorry if I have offended you, Miss Summers" he said quickly, standing up straight, "But, seeing as you have told me not to work, I haven't anything to do."  
  
She looked him in the eyes, "You haven't offended me in any way Charles, really, what could you have done? And you certainly can't have nothing to do, sure, this isn't the most interesting place in the world, but there are some things you could be doing..." Buffy said, but even she wasn't sure of what he could do, seeing as there really wasn't anything to do.  
  
He looked at her doubtfully, but gave her a sincere nod before sitting down at the table, "I guess I will find something to do, but don't let me keep you from whatever it is you need to be doing."  
  
Buffy sat down across from him, "I don't need to be doing anything at the moment, but I do need to speak with you for a second."  
  
He nodded, signaling for her to continue.  
  
"There are some guidelines I set up when we have the runaways stay here." She said, "Now, you may have heard some of them before, but please don't interrupt." He nodded again.  
  
"Don't go outside during the day time for any reason, don't answer the door, and when I do, stay upstairs and stay quiet. And when you feel it's getting close to when you want to move on to the next safe house, tell me. I will be your escort there." She finished.  
  
He looked at her, "I understand, Mr. Harris had rules like those, only I could go outside...."  
  
Buffy looked at him sympathetically, "Well, it's just that some of the people around here, strongly believe that you should be back where ever you came from working. They don't understand civil rights the way Xander and I do. They see the world in a different light."  
  
Gunn blinked, understanding what Buffy meant. Xander hadn't had any neighbors close by like Buffy did, that was why he was aloud to roam, but Buffy must have really racist people living near her and she didn't want to chance it. He smiled at her, silently thanking her for thinking of this, because he certainly would not have.  
  
"I just don't want anyone to sent you back." She said as a personal explanation.  
  
A cry from upstairs got Buffy and Gunn's attention, she apologized, and stood up going to check on Dawn. Gunn stayed thinking over what Buffy had said about how some people see the world in a different perspective than he and she did. It was confusing to him, but he figured he would eventually figure it out.  
  
Buffy looked at Dawn in her crib, she was crying loudly. She picked her up and rocked her slowly, trying to calm her down.  
  
"C'mon Dawnie, stop crying for Buffy. Please?" she asked the child, pretty much pleading after five minutes of howling.  
  
Dawn closed her mouth and sniffed, looking up at Buffy, pouting. Buffy smiled, this kid could go from being the loudest thing on the planet, to the quietest and cutest thing Buffy had ever seen.  
  
Contemplating whether or not to put Dawn back down, Buffy sighed. She really couldn't carry Dawn around with her all day, not if she wanted to finish all of what she had to do, but she couldn't put her down either, Dawn would cry until Buffy couldn't ear any more.  
  
"What am I going to do with you?" she asked, and Dawn giggled.  
  
Buffy shook her head, and headed downstairs once more, carrying her cousin's daughter with her. She sat down at the table again, and smiled at Gunn.  
  
"She didn't want to nap I guess...." She told him, sighing, and he shook his head smirking.  
  
There was a knock at the door that alerted both people in the house, and Buffy looked down the hallway at the door. She glanced at Gunn, who stood up and made his way up stairs quickly, just as Buffy had told him to do earlier. She got up again, taking Dawn with her, and walked down the hall to the door.  
  


-({-:-})-

  
  
William sighed, he wasn't sure where he was, and he wasn't sure what he was going to do about it. He was at the border of Virginia, and there was pretty much no one out there. He had stopped at a couple of houses, but that had been a while back, and he was wondering if maybe he had accidentally turned west a while back.  
  
Shrugging off the thought that he had made a wrong turn, William continues to follow the dirt road, looking for another town or just a house where he can stop.  
  
For miles he sees nothing, and was becoming rather bored with the scenery. To many grassy meadows, and small trees. None of the trees even had any fruit on them; man how he really didn't like this part of the country. Sure, it was warm, but hey, it wasn't anything like Georgia, and crossing it on horseback wasn't exactly what he wanted to be doing right now.  
  
He cursed his father for having him take this idiotic trip north, knowing damn well that there was no way he was ever going to see that slave again. Ok, three or four days wasn't going to get the nigger to British territory, but he was miles ahead of William, and was probably way more excited about the trip than he was.  
  
Sighing again, William kicks PenDragon in the side a little harder than he had intended to do, causing his horse to start cantering down the road. Not that William was complaining about the breeze he was getting from the quick pace, but at this speed, Pen could only travel for about a day, then need about twelve hours of rest before he could get going again full strength.  
  
Will pulled on the reins, and PenDragon slowed down, now going at a fast walk, snorting at the dust he had just kicked up, and Will shielded his eyes, not wanting to get any pebbles or dirt in them.  
  
After a while, he thought he saw a house in the distance, and in relief, kicked PenDragon once again into a faster pace. By this time, William personally didn't care who was at the house, as long as he could get some water. About three hours with out any had made him quite thirsty, so any kind of drink would have been great now.  
  
As the building grew closer, William was disappointed to find that it was only a lone shed, with quite the number of holes in the sides and roof. Pretty useless. There was also a concrete foundation of a house, he figured that a while back, maybe someone had lived here, but by now had cleared out.  
  
Slightly annoyed at what he saw, William didn't even dismount, just glanced at the foundation and shed, then went on his way again, finding his way back to the trampled ground used as a road.  
  
He road on, not even noticing how long he had been riding. It had been about an hour more, and that meant it was just about mid morning. He yawned at his lack of sleep over the last day or two, and slouched in his position on PenDragon's back.  
  
Again he thought he saw something in the distance, but now what ever it was, was moving towards him. It was a man driving a small wagon, led by one horse. Deciding to keep his pace, he waited until who ever it was, was in shouting distance before calling out to them in greeting.  
  
"Hey, you there!" he called, and saw the driver look up.  
  
William stopped when he reached the side of the wagon, the other man doing the same.  
  
"Good morning." The man said, looking at William.  
  
Will replied with a nod, "Good morning to you as well." He said, "You wouldn't happen to know how long it was to the next town, if it wasn't any trouble to you."  
  
"Well, you wont be finding your way to any towns for the next couple of days," he said, "However, there are some houses up there, Mr...."  
  
"Scott."  
  
"Right, Mr. Scott. You really wont see any one, for a couple of miles anyway. Everyone's pretty spread out around here."  
  
"I get what you mean, back in Georgia it's the same way. I was just looking for a place to stop for a while, maybe get some water or something." "I have some water if you'd like it. Plenty of it to be exact, carrying it with me on my way back down to South Carolina."  
  
"If I may?"  
  
"Go ahead, just let me get it for you."  
  
The man jumped off the wagon, and made his way around to the back. He opened the tail up, and called Will over, pulling a large barrel to the edge.  
  
"Thanks a lot." Will said, filling his two water bottles.  
  
"No problem. I'm always happy to help someone in need."  
  
"Good man, and I don't think you mentioned your name."  
  
"Right, Harris. Alexander Harris, most call me Xander though, so feel free." Xander said, nodding when Will had finished with his water. He closed up the back of the wagon, and moved around to the front, patting his horse on the muzzle before getting back up onto his seat.  
  
"Then it'd only be fair if you called me Will." William told him, "And thanks again for the water, I needed it."  
  
Xander nodded, "Well, unless we don't meet again Will, I'll be seeing you."  
  
William smiled, "Right, see you then."  
  
He mounted back up onto PenDragon, who was rubbing noses with the other horse. Kicking him into a slow walk, William waved to Xander, and continued on his way.  
  
Now in somewhat of a better mood, William smiled to himself, and began to hum, thankful for the water, and to finally see another person out on the road. And it was a while before he stopped again, dismounting to give PenDragon some water, and to take a break himself. There was something about traveling alone that made him wish he were back home, even if his father was there. What he really needed to do was find a way to get out of that house, but his only two options were running away, or finding a woman.  
  
He'd ruled out running away along time ago, but never really thought about his other options. The women in his town were like strangers, and he really had only taken a liking to one of them. But, he figured, just because he had liked her, her father had packed up, and they had left for Texas, leaving him with no one else to even think about.  
  
Sitting down in a rock on the side of the road, William decided it would soon be time for lunch. He had bought some jerky at the last town he had been to, and could eat that, or he could wait. Seeing as that Xander guy had said there was a house or tow up here in a little while, he figured he'd wait, and maybe ask for something when he found a house.  
  
He got back up on his horse, and urged him to go just a little bit further until he saw what he had been thinking about.  
  
A house. And a barn.  
  
He smiled to himself, but didn't make a move to go any faster, taking his time, relieved to finally find a place where he might be able to rest in a chair.  
  
The house was small, he decided jumping down off Pen on the coble stone road that lead up to the house. He led his horse over to the barn and tied him up outside, hoping it would be all right. Then making his way up the stone walk way, he knocked on the door, and waited for someone to answer. 


	4. A Visitor

A/N thank you storyteller, James Lee, Lozzi1403, and Bunny for reviewing the last chapter.  
  
**Different Sides Of The Track**  
  
Buffy shifted Dawn's weight in her arms, and opened the front door to her house, just enough so she could see who was outside, before opening the door fully, and greeting the person who was standing there.  
  
"Good Morning." she said, looking at the man before her, smiling.  
  
"'Ello pet." He said, smiling sincerely at her.  
  
Buffy looked over the man standing in front of her. He was pretty tall, well, compared to how short she was, and had short light brown hair, high cheekbones, and a nice smile on his face. He was gorgeous, and Buffy didn't notice she had been staring a bit until he waved a hand in front of her face to get her attention.  
  
She shook her head, "Sorry, can I help you with something?"  
  
"Actually yeah, I'm looking for a place to rest, and your house seemed to be the only one for miles." He said, looking sheepish, as if he didn't really want to be asking anyone for any favors of any kind, "I was just wondering if you wouldn't mind me staying here for a couple of hours maybe."  
  
She smiled sweetly, "Of course I don't mind," she told him, moving back so that he could come in.  
  
He looked at her, and then stepped into the house looking around, "My name's William, by the way." He told her glancing at her.  
  
"Buffy." She replied.  
  
"What?"  
  
She rolled her eyes, used to this type of reaction. "My name, it's Buffy."  
  
He raised an eyebrow, then chuckled, "Never heard that one before, nice to meet you, Buffy." He said, as if testing how it sounded when he said it. He then noticed Dawn in Buffy's arms, and smiled at the child.  
  
"Hey there 'lil bit." He said, and Dawn giggled. He looked back up at Buffy, "She's cute, what's her name?"  
  
"Dawn."  
  
"Well, it's nice to meet you too Dawn." He said taking her little hand in his, and shaking it slightly. This caused Buffy to smile, and Dawn to giggle again and reach for his hair, grabbing a fist full of it. She yanked on in hard, and William yelped.  
  
Buffy looked at him apologetically, "Sorry she likes to pull hair." She said, to him, then to Dawn she said, sternly, "Dawnie, let go of the William's hair."  
  
Dawn pouted, but let go anyway, and Buffy apologized again to William as he rubbed his head, "Sorry about that."  
  
"It's no problem at all, my sister used to do that all the time, they always go for the hair." He said, tapping Dawn on the nose lightly. She giggled again.  
  
Smiling, Buffy again shifted Dawn's weight and showed William to the kitchen. He looked around, finding it weird that Buffy seemed to be the only one here. He had expected more than a woman and a child when he had seen the house. What kind of a man would leave two beautiful girls like those two alone in a house? Not any man William thought he would be able to stand.  
  
"Would you like anything to eat?" Buffy asked from behind him, and he shook his head.  
  
"No thanks, not really hungry, though I was wondering. My horse's outside, would you mind if I put him in the barn?" he asked, again having that sheepish look on his face.  
  
"I wouldn't mind at all. I could even help if you wanted." She said, but he shook his head again.  
  
"No, that's ok, I can get it, besides, you have to hold the 'lil bit." He said, opening the back door, and walking out back to his horse.  
  
Buffy sighed, and quickly went upstairs to see what Gunn was doing. She found his door closed, and when she knocked there was no answer, she tried again, but still there was no response.  
  
"Charles?" she asked, opening the door a little and peeking in.  
  
He looked up at her, "Are they gone?" he asked.  
  
Buffy shook her head, "No, he's just going to be staying for a couple of hours though, needs to rest. I'm really sorry Charles, but you're going to have to stay hidden."  
  
"S'ok, I can deal with that."  
  
She nodded, "I'll be up when he's gone."  
  
Closing the door, Buffy hurried back down stairs, just as William reentered through the back door. He looked at her, and then sat down.  
  
"So Buffy, do you live here all alone?" he asked.  
  
"Pretty much, unless you count Dawn here." She answered, sitting down across from him, Dawn on her lap.  
  
William thought about this for a second, until Buffy spoke up, drawing him out of his thoughts of why someone like her would be living all alone.  
  
"What brings you to this part of Virginia, 'cause I've got to say, I don't get many visitors here." She said.  
  
He hesitated, "Well, my father kind of got mad at me for letting one of his slaves get away a couple of days ago, and he sent me up here looking for him. Can't say it's what I want to be doing though, I'd much rather be up here on vacation then looking for some nigger."  
  
Buffy tensed at the way he talked about the black he was looking for, and he must've noticed it.  
  
"Something wrong pet?" he asked.  
  
"No, nothing's wrong." She thought about Gunn upstairs, it was, though very unlikely, possible that Charles was the slave he was talking about, and if he found out that he was staying here, Buffy would be in big trouble, and Charles would be sent back to a plantation. "Are you sure you don't want anything? I've still got some berries from earlier."  
  
"I'm fine." He said, though he was a bit hungry, he didn't want to take much from her.  
  
Buffy yawned, and he looked at her funny, "Long day, or am I just that boring?" he asked, and she laughed.  
  
"No, not at all, just a bit tired, didn't get much sleep last night." She said, rubbing her eyes with one hand.  
  
"Why's that?"  
  
"Xander stopped by late last night, and we were talking, then Dawn, here, woke up and I had to see here." She said, ok, not the whole truth, but she couldn't tell a person looking for a slave that she had received one to hide just the night before.  
  
"Wait, Xander Harris?" Will asked.  
  
"Yeah, you know him? I mean I know he had friends, but I haven't met many of them." She said.  
  
"Yeah, met him on the road this morning, he was the one who told me that there were house ahead, and that I should keep going. Gave me some water too, he's a good guy."  
  
"Yeah, Xander's always come across that way to most everyone, though some people don't like that he jokes all the time." She said, "But when he comes over, it's like a glimpse of heaven for me. He's always nice with Dawn, and helps even when I tell him not too."  
  
"Well, I can't see anyone not wanting to help you." William said, and Buffy looked up at him.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, you live here all alone, with a child nonetheless, it would seem that you would have to do everything around here. Care for that cow I saw out in the barn, that dog that jumped me while I was putting my horse in-"  
  
Buffy cut him off, "Oh, he didn't hurt you did he? Boomer can get a little excited around people he doesn't know-"  
  
"I'm fine, pet. He just wanted to say hello. And did you say Boomer? I've never heard anyone call a dog that."  
  
"Well, it was the first thing that came out of Dawn's mouth when she saw him, and the name kind of, well, stuck."  
  
William looked at Dawn as she played with a berry that was on the table, "She can talk?" He asked.  
  
"When she wants too. When she gets excited she mumbles, or babbles, sometimes I get real words, other times, well, I get nothing, or can't understand." Buffy said, "I'm always trying though, I think I've got a small understanding of what she means most of the time."  
  
"Well good on you, took me a year or two to figure out what my sis was trying to say." He said, "And it was a pretty simple thing too."  
  
Buffy smiled at him, "You mentioned you have a horse?"  
  
"I do. His name's PenDragon." William said, "You know much about horses?"  
  
"Not to much," She replied truthfully, "But I do know some things about how to clean them, and I can ride."  
  
"Good for you. Back in Georgia not many of the girls can ride, they're all to busy with the house work, and flirting with the guys to think that that could be important." He said, "I think it is, 'cause you never know when you're going to need to know how to do something like that, or get away..."  
  
Buffy looked at him, "Get away?"  
  
"Well, you never know. Highwaymen, animals, there are a number of situations where if you have a horse, and can stay on, you can get out ok. Also there's that whole little situation with the slaves escaping." He told her, "A number of them have escorts, or so I've heard...." Buffy tensed up again, but he didn't seem to notice this time, "....And some are given horses to ride. Of course, that could be just rumor, but I'm not all that sure, I guest I've just heard things from my father and brother."  
  
"Then again, I've also heard a lot of them just walk, and hide out in houses. I don't know much, but I have been learning over the past couple of days about what some people do to hide those niggers."  
  
Buffy blinked, he knew quite a bit about how the slaves escaped, and how they seemed to get to where ever they were going. She hoped this conversation wasn't going to stay on this track, that wouldn't be good at all. She decided to change the subject.  
  
"So, what did you do back in Georgia?" she asked.  
  
"I took care of the plantation when my father and brother were away, but when they were there, I mostly cared for my mother and sister, didn't want them to get involved with any of whatever my father was doing." He told her.  
  
"You keep mentioning your sister, how old is she?"  
  
"About five or six now. She's quite a handful, always keeping the slaves from their work by trying to help, then getting in the way."  
  
"She tries to help?" Buffy asked, she wasn't exactly sure how life was down in the more southern states.  
  
"Yeah, I mean, me and my mum do too. We're still not sure why my father has slaves, our plantation's not that big, and he's just lazy. I'd rather be doing all the work myself than watching all those niggers do it, I rather think it's not fair." William said, before he realized he had been telling her pretty much everything about him, even things he wasn't sure people would hear without giving him a hard time.  
  
Buffy smiled, "I think it's nice that you help them out, but why don't you just tell your father that you'd do that for him?"  
  
""Cause I'd get it for that. My father's a strong believer in slaves, hence me being up here, looking for one, figured I'd better not make him mad by not doing it. I'll probably not find him, and go home, and he'll take a fit. It'd be better that way, that way the poor nigger wont have to come back to a place like that." He said, finding that it didn't feel weird telling her about his father, and what he was doing here, why he was doing it, or how he felt about doing it. Actually it felt good getting some of it off of his chest, seeing as if he said it to anyone but someone he barely knew, he'd be yelled at for being so stupid.  
  
Buffy smiled, this guy wasn't so bad, he didn't seem to believe in slavery at all, except, it seemed as if he might have grown up thinking it was ok, then when he got older started asking questions about how it was ok for a black to work for his entire life for free, and how everyone insisted on paying his for half the work.  
  
"So, what, you completely disagree with your father about the way things are at your house, with the slaves and everything." She asked.  
  
"Yeah, pretty much, I figure they're people to, why can't they be like us."  
  
Buffy's smile grew, he wasn't a back guy at all. He understood, she though, pretty much how she did about what society was like. Unfair to blacks. But she wasn't ready to take the risk of telling him Charles was there, or how she felt about it. Though he seemed to be antislavery, he still might be sexist like many of the men she knew.  
  
"What about you? How do you view what we're talking about? Never really heard anyone but my brother and father's view on these things."  
  
She looked at him confused, "You're asking me?"  
  
"Yeah, why wouldn't I?" he asked, looking just as confused as she was about her confusion.  
  
"I don't know, it's just, never mind..."  
  
"No, really, why would you be confused about me asking your opinion?" he asked, still looking confused.  
  
"No one really asks me what I think about anything. It's normally, women don't have opinions, or if they do, it doesn't matter." She explained, realizing now how stupid that sounded.  
  
"Really? I think everyone's opinion matters, even yours luv, no matter if you're a man or a women, where'd you get the idea that it would matter?"  
  
She shook her head, "Nowhere."  
  
"Alright then, so what do you think?"  
  
She blinked, he really wanted to hear? "Well, I think it's wrong to have other's work for you with no rewards, or anything like that. Sure, they get a home and everything, but they never get paid, and a white man with a home who works half as hard for half as long does. It's not fair to keep one person as a slave because their skin is darker then their own." She said.  
  
William looked at her, he hadn't heard anyone speak about the subject like she did. She spoke about it differently than anyone he had ever known, and seeing where he grew up, that wasn't a view most people took on the matter.  
  
"You are right, you know. Maybe I'll just give up that search of mine, maybe even move out of my father's house, seeing as I can't do anything there. Maybe help in other ways, I don't know." He was amazed at how she felt so strongly about this, and was surprised that, to his knowledge, she wasn't doing anything to help her cause. 


End file.
